Check Out John Sismanis’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Sismanis.

Hi John, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m the chef/owner of the Mother’s Greek Food pop-up in the Boulder/Denver area. We focus on traditional, mostly Athens-style Greek food with some twists and interpretations here and there. I got my start cooking in Virginia, where I grew up, and eventually moved to Boulder in 2012 to continue my cooking career. I started out at The Kitchen working in pastry for 2 years, bounced around the Denver/Boulder area for a few years, and eventually landed at Frasca Food and Wine and Pizzeria Locale. I worked both front of house and back of house with Frasca and was the chef de cuisine of Pizzeria Locale for 4 years.
I moved to New Orleans in 2023 where I opened my Greek pop-up as Mother’s Souvlaki, and at the end of 2024 moved it back here. We operated as a pop-up residency from November 2024-April 2025, and are currently working with a realtor to find a permanent home in the area.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s definitely had its ups and downs. As a Greek person, and a child of immigrants, there’s a lot of personal value in what we’re sharing with our guests, and that goes with a ton of vulnerability, too. Greek food has been subject to a lot of interpretation and appropriation over the years and so there are a lot of misconceptions and pre-conceived notions to navigate. At first it was hard to not take it personally when people ask for falafel and hummus (foods I love that are not Greek), but eventually it prompted a conversation and line of thinking about the interconnectedness of the cuisines of that part of the world (the Middle East, eastern block, Mediterranean). It also prompted us to further define who we are as a concept and what Greek food is to me. But I digress.
Another challenge, as we work with our awesome realtor Greg to find Mother’s a permanent home, is working within the restrictions of finding a solid restaurant space in Boulder. The restaurant scene in Boulder has changed a lot over the years, as the population and the demands have changed. A lot of large, sprawling, second generation spaces are available, and a lot of brand new, (mostly) sprawling spaces requiring a full build-out are available, but there aren’t many small, cozy, second-generation spaces are available, and that’s what we and anybody else just getting started are looking for. What this means big picture is that most new spots opening in Boulder, especially downtown, are going to be chains, or part of larger local restaurant groups. The problem I see with that, even though we have some fantastic restaurants (that I wouldn’t be here without), is that Boulder’s restaurant scene, as a result, doesn’t evolve to reflect the cultures and demands around it. Times are tumultuous, businesses have suffered all over, and you can read about how a lot of Boulder’s restaurants, in the Pearl street area especially, have had a particularly rough couple of years on account of that. However, I think part of the issue is that there is a changing demand in the area. if you look at what’s going on in Denver, with spots like Sap Sua, La Diabla, and Mak Fam grabbing National awards and nominations, there’s also a demand for something different, that there is far more cultural diversity than we acknowledge and bring awareness to, and that it’s what people want and are happy to travel for.
The other struggle is that everything I said in that second paragraph is really boring for a lot of people and difficult to get through, so it goes largely ignored.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a chef, I’ve worked in Italian food for most of my career, but I’ve always been closest to Greek food as a result of how I grew up. My parents are both Greek immigrants, and I spent a lot of my childhood in Greece. At Mother’s, we focus on gyros and kebab, as well as traditional Greek small plates with a little room for interpretation. We like to keep things rustic and a little rough round the edges where appropriate. We are the only Greek operated Greek food operation, and actually, the only exclusively Greek food, in Boulder.
One thing we’ve been particularly excited about is connecting with different communities that share similar cuisines and ingredients to ours. We currently get our flatbreads from Watan, an Afghani bakery in Aurora, and everything from Feta to Olive oil from our friend Salem at Mediterranean Market in Boulder. When Mother’s was located in NOLA, I got my pitas from Mona’s, a Palestinian bakery and cafe. In the context of Greek history, and also the world we live in today, we’re really proud to work with people of different cultures to build something awesome that no one else is doing based on the things we love and are passionate about. It’s something that’s happened organically and I think is really beautiful and to be celebrated.
Another thing we are proud of is placing third for Meditteranean in Best Of Boulder, without a google page or much marketing at all.
I think what we’re most proud of though, are some very specific moments we’ve been able to create for some of our guests. We’ve had Greek guests, Eastern block guests, middle eastern guests, guests who hold Eastern Europe or the Mediterranean near and dear to their heart, and there is one reaction we’ve gotten that is our absolute favorite and makes us feel like we’re doing something right, and that’s when people say “I feel like I’m in (blank) right now.” Be it Greece, somebody’s grandmother’s kitchen, Russia, Turkey, Poland, whatever it is, we’ve been able to hit a very personal, emotional, space for some people, and having been on the other side of that, as I hope we all have, we are so proud to be able to provide that.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Where “foodies” are concerned, I see a lot of bigger restaurant groups consolidating, and smaller, more unique operations gaining more traction. Restaurants and pop-ups from minority cultures especially. Awareness is growing in our country for different ways of dining and there are a lot of wonderful ways to dine in our world. Interest is shifting, and the way the restaurant industry expands will reflect that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mothersgreekfood.com
• Instagram: mothersgreekfoodco

Image Credits
Casey Wilson